Hours later Mr Abe announced that Ms Matsushima, 58, had also resigned.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Japan’s Justice Minister Midori Matsushima has resigned, hours after the resignation of Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi.<\/p>\n
Ms Matsushima had been accused by the opposition of violating election laws.<\/p>\n
Ms Obuchi is alleged to have misused funds from her political support groups and other donations.<\/p>\n
Correspondents say the resignations are a major setback for PM Shinzo Abe, who wants to bring more women into the top levels of government.<\/p>\n
Mr Abe said he took responsibility for having appointed both women, and that they would be replaced within a day. Both are members of his governing conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).<\/p>\n
Ms Obuchi, 40, was one of five women appointed by Mr Abe in his cabinet reshuffle last month and was tipped by some as a future prime minister.<\/p>\n
But allegations emerged last week that her staff had misused thousands of dollars of campaign funds.<\/p>\n
Ms Obuchi has not acknowledged personal wrongdoing, but at a televised press conference on Monday, she said she was resigning because “we cannot let economic policy and energy policy stagnate… because of my problems”.<\/p>\n
“I take seriously the impact I have caused,” she said. She also apologised for being unable to contribute to key goals set by Mr Abe, including economic recovery and “a society where women shine”.<\/p>\n
![\"Japan's](\"http:\/\/news.bbcimg.co.uk\/media\/images\/78389000\/jpg\/_78389056_024394107-1.jpg\")
Ms Matsushima (C) met with Mr Abe at his official residence shortly before news of her resignation broke<\/div>\n![\"Shinzo](\"http:\/\/news.bbcimg.co.uk\/media\/images\/78388000\/jpg\/_78388809_78388808.jpg\")
Shinzo Abe has now lost two of the five women he appointed to his cabinet in September<\/div>\n